claidig

I have a security light that constantly blinks and dome light that won't go out along with some other problems that I am trying to troubleshoot.

I am hoping someone can tell me if there would be a way to temporarily wire / jump each door switch in a way so the security system thinks all the doors are closed? Basically I want to rule out the door switches one at a time.

I have a thread started in the 3rd gen forum but am currently at a point where I am stuck so want to continue on with other testing such as this.

Thank you

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

The door switches are what is called NO (normally open), meaning there is no connection when the door is closed. When you open the door, the switch contacts close and connect the wire to ground. There is only one wire on the door switches in the 4th & 5th gens, so for testing, you just connect the wire to ground.

The way the 3rd gen Maxima is wired is quite a bit different from the 4th gen Maxima and the 5th gen differences are even greater. The 3rd gen uses 2 modules, the door lock timer and the timer module. The 4th gen had just one module, a Body Control Module (BCM), while the 5th gen uses a Smart Entrance Control Unit (SECU). Each newer version is more complex as it does more things than its predecessor.

In the 3rd gen, I'm pretty sure that the dome light and the ignition key light are controlled by the Door Lock Timer module. I don't know what controls the security light.

Turbobink

iTrader: (2)

Honestly, and with all due respect to the detail provided by the Wiz, if you're simply trying to trick the car into thinking that an open door is closed, I've got two words of advice ... "duct" "tape".

claidig

I am not trying to leave the door open and have the button pushed in, so as much as I love my duct tape fixes it won't do the trick here unfortunately..lol

I am trying to rule out any possible bad switches that might not be making the needed contact when they are pressed in..I have tested each switch with a continuity tester, except the trunk switch since I haven't figured that one out yet but I want to rule each of them out via a hard wire method in case my testing was done done properly or thorough enough.

Thank you though.

claidig

Dennis,

I would have to go back and look but am pretty sure all my problems including the security light are tied to the Timer Control Unit..I have already purchased a different used one from Ebay and it did not change anything so I am trying to find other possible causes.

In my searching I found sevearl people with the same odd symptoms as I am having...and many people said it was a faulty SECU module.
Guess that must be pretty much the same unit as my Timer Control Unit in a way.

The car really seems like it thinks the door or trunk is open from what I have read..I just need to figure out why it thinks this so hard wiring the switches was my first idea to rule them out.

After that I may need to look into the actual ignition key switch as this is something all the other "pros" around here never tested or looked into according to the previous owner who had already spent over $1k on diagnosis with no luck.
Too top it off I could have gotten a used Timer Control Unit that had the same issues...who knows...errr..lol

Back to the wiring of switches..sounds like I will have to figure out the trunk switch and then how the 3 wire front door switches work in order to hard wire them...I can make the ground go to ground on those..but the other two wires need to send a signal somewhere so that's what I need to know now.

I seem to always be the "sucker" who buys cars that others have given up on...but at least I enjoy the challenge and I learn a lot along the way

Thank you for your help.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

I'm looking at your situation as if you have 2 separate problems. As an example, you mention the trunk switch. This could be a cause of the blinking security light (just like the hood switch could be) but the trunk switch will not cause the dome and ignition key lights to come on.

Another thing that concerns me is that very few people have the wiring diagrams for a maxima before 1994. Because of the way Nissan made changes to the 4th and 5th gens while they were being made, they probably did the same with the 3rd gen. It is hard to find the paper service manual for those years.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

I found a place selling nissan service manuals. They have a used 1990 wiring diagram manual (paper) for $39.

http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/1...l--P17661.aspx